Weighing in on COVID-19: The impact of the pandemic on children and adolescents with obesity participating in a weight management program

Background: COVID-19 mitigation measures, including closures of schools and recreational facilities and alterations in eating behaviours and physical activity, may impact weight.

Objective: To examine changes in body weight and body mass index (BMI) in children and adolescents with obesity participating in an obesity treatment program before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada.

Methods: Body weight and BMI at baseline and 6 months were recorded for the 'historic' cohort (females = 34, males = 21) before the pandemic (November 1, 2018, to March 18, 2020) and for the 'pandemic' cohort (females = 30, males = 30) during the pandemic (March 19, 2020 to July 31, 2021). Analyses were adjusted for baseline weight/BMI, age, and ON-Marg score, a measure of the social determinants of health.

Results: In males, body weight (98.29 versus 89.28 kg, p < 0.001) and BMI (36.46 versus 34.85 kg/m² , p = 0.027) were greater in the pandemic compared with historic cohort. In females, body weight (p = 0.769) and BMI (p = 0.548) were not different between the two cohorts.

Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic may have diminished the health impacts of a weight management program, particularly in males, leading to increased body weight and BMI.